May 22nd to 25th - WA to ID

May 22^nd – Thurs

We actually got some chores done this morning – I took stuff out of cupboards, taped down the non slip shelf liner (keeps things in place but wadded up when I took things in & out) and did some reorganizing now that we have been living in the rig long enough to know what is & isn’t working.  Terry secured a couple of things that don’t quite want to stay put and then cleaned the bike.  The weather continues sunny & warm.

We went to a motorcycle shop that we had seen on our way into Spokane and found the glasses that we were looking for.  Terry had a pair and lost them.  We each got a pair with yellow lenses to wear at night since we don’t have face shields on our helmets and we discovered the need for glasses when we got sand blasted in Palm Springs.

Then it was time for a trip to the Northern Quest casino where we each had a winning streak that let us play comfortably for a few hours.  Another quiet evening.

May 23^rd – Fri

We rode the bike to the RV sale at the old greyhound park and looked at every large 5^th wheel toy hauler.  We didn’t see one that we would be willing to live in full time – thank goodness!!

In the infield & track of the park there were vendors in “tents” so we had to check that out too.  It had been advertised on TV and we found it quite disappointing.  The sites were marked with spray paint on the grass and it looked as if a lot of people didn’t show up or didn’t sign up as many of the sites were empty.

We stopped by Lonnie & Cindy’s on the way back and they weren’t home this time either.  We checked out another RV store and then stopped at DQ as I “needed” a Blizzard.  By the time we got our order, clouds moved in and it looked like it was going to rain.  Terry finished his banana split, I got a lid for my Blizzard and we felt the first raindrops as we were putting on our helmets.  Luckily it was a quick little shower and we were close to the Elk’s club so we didn’t get wet.

By now it was time to relax for the rest of the day.

May 24^th – Sat

We are going to be heading to Canada soon and have been discussing not having internet and TV reception most of the time so we decided to bite the bullet and get the portable satellite system that we have looked at.

First we had to hook up the receiver.  We subscribe to Direct TV and brought a receiver from Mesa.  The large TV in the trailer is screwed to the ledge above the fridge which makes it a challenge to plug in anything behind it but we eventually got the receiver hooked up.

We had a late breakfast, went to Camping World and bought a Winegard Carryout G2 which is a nifty little dome totally enclosing a small satellite dish.  It can be set for Direct TV, Dish Network or Bell and finds the satellites automatically.  It seemed strange to us but it is powered by DC and of course we don’t have a “cigarette lighter” plug on the outside of the trailer.  We didn’t want to spend the extra $30 on a converter so we got a plug that needed to be wired & attached.  We went to WalMart for a few items and decided that it would be easier – and not much more expensive – to get the darn converter so we went to Camping World again to return the plug and buy the converter.

It was easy to plug in the Carryout, attach the coax to the provided satellite connection on the trailer and listen to the dome find the satellites.  Then the fun started.  We got an error indicating the signal could not be found on the receiver.  We tried connecting the coax directly from the dome to the receiver and resetting the receiver – no luck.  We moved the dome further away from any possible interference from trees – no luck.  We called the Winegard phone numbers – closed for the long weekend!  I did some searching on the internet and found a phone number for Direct TV and finally talked to a person.  She was extremely nice & helpful.  Since we hadn’t used the receiver for several months (it was the one we used in the compartment and we put that TV into the toy hauler), it had to be reactivated by a signal (“ping”) from Direct TV.  The first ping didn’t work but she tried it again and we suddenly had all the channels.  Of course it got tuned to HGTV and stayed there for quite a while!

May 25^th – Sun – to ID

Terry was up early this morning which is usual when we are going to move.  We were going to Bayview ID to see Larry & Julie and Terry told Julie that we would be there about 10.  We pulled out shortly after 8 (!!), programmed the GPS and discovered we were only 46 miles away.  We knew it wasn’t too far but not that close.

We drove into the RV park not long after 9 and Julie answered the door adjusting the clothes that she had just changed into from her PJ’s.  Larry was in the shower.  We unloaded the bike and Terry had to turn around on the large lawn to back the trailer into a site just a couple spots from Larry & Julie and their friends Terry & Tina.  Then it was time for coffee and “whitener” at Julie’s. 

Terry’s son Kevin & his wife Melanie are staying with Tina & Terry.  Kevin had been looking at CanAm bikes so Terry let him take a drive which really made him want to get one.  Terry & I came back to the rig, had a sandwich and took the bike on a road up the hill beside the lake (Priest Lake) which we can see from where we are parked.  There are beautiful views from the road so I took pictures in the way back down.

Now it was time to sit outside & socialize.  Julie provided country style ribs, corn, potato salad and beans for dinner.  Terry & Tina have a monster BBQ (Treagar) heated with pellets which they used to cook the ribs.  Oh yes, it was Tina’s Terry’s birthday today.  We bought a couple of Sour Cream Lemon pies in Spokane which served as the birthday cake.

A new fire pit was set up and we all gathered around for more socializing and just a little drinking.  We called it quits shortly after 10 and when I turned out the lights at 11 I heard raindrops on the roof.

May 18th to 21st - Spokane

May 18^th – Sun – to Spokane

We got a reasonably early start – in the rain - on our way to Spokane after pulling up to dump our tanks and making sure everything was buttoned up on the lot.  We actually didn’t intend to go all the way to Spokane today but……

We stopped at a new casino – Snoqualmie Casino - near North Bend.  The casino was new to us and I think fairly new.  It is on the side of a hill with afterthought RV parking that would not suit a motor home pulling a car as you had to back out of most spots.  We played slots a while, each got $10 returned to us, had lunch and played a bit longer.

We couldn’t decide where to stay and the closer we got to Spokane we realized we might as well head for the Elks Lodge where we have stayed several times.  Bill & Georgia are in California right now so we won’t see them on this stop.

We arrived about 6:30 and paid for a week.  It didn’t take us too long to set up and for me to make hamburgers for dinner. 

May 19^th – Mon

After a lazy start to the day, we filled up with diesel and ran the truck through a car wash.

Then we went to the vehicle licensing office to renew the licenses on our truck and fifth wheel.  We weren’t sure what would happen with both of us having AZ driver’s licenses and, sure enough, Terry had to get his WA license back before we could license vehicles.  And of course the driver’s license office is not open on Monday.

We went to Camping World to check out portable satellite dishes, got more info on satellite dishes at another dealer and checked out a few RVs.  We stopped at Verizon as I had a few questions about my phone – dumb user questions! – and the lady helping me was very nice and careful to not make me feel stupid.  Since I mistakenly called Dianne & Ernie when I was looking for an example of a problem, I called back later and had a nice chat with Dianne.

May 20^th – Tues

We had another late start – darn computer games! – and found very few people at the driver’s license office which is almost unheard of.  Terry was still at the desk getting a number when his number was called.  It cost $106 to get his WA license back as you have to pay all the fees as if you are getting a license for the first time – both driver’s & motorcycle.

Back at the vehicle licensing office, it wasn’t too bad.  The truck & 5^th wheel were straightforward renewals and since we had paid sales tax in AZ on the toy hauler we didn’t have to pay any more.  It will cost us $41 a year to license the toy hauler in WA as opposed to $574 in AZ so we will suck up the part of the year in AZ that we are not using!  We thought we might be able to turn in the plate for a refund but that is only if you sell the vehicle.  We made a stop at Costco before coming back to the rig.

The weather was lovely so we took the cover off the motorcycle and went for a ride.  We rode past our old house (needs TLC), went past Lonnie & Cindy’s place but they weren’t home, rode to the old greyhound race track (Terry thought there was an RV sale there but it starts later this week) and then took the “back way” back to the Elk’s lodge.  Time to relax and have drinks & dinner.  Terry is very relieved to have the licensing resolved.

May 21^st – Wed

We took even longer to get going this morning as we had to do laundry and I had a nice chat with Marg & Pat.  We had lunch before heading to the Laundromat and then came back to make the bed and put everything away.

The weather was even nicer than yesterday so we took the bike to do a bit of shopping at WalMart and Fred Meyer.  When we got back, it was 78 degrees and we had to turn on the AC.  Similar evening – drinks, dinner, TV, computer games.

May 16th to 17th - Ocean Shores

May 16^th – Fri – Ocean Shores WA

After coffee & toast, Terry took the motorcycle and I drove the truck & trailer to Larry & Barb’s lot.  No use loading up the bike for a short trip.  Larry had some gravel put in to widen & level the entrances to the lot so Terry thought he could pull in one side, make a semi-circle to the other side and back up to a parking spot.  We are continually amazed by the overall length of the truck and smaller trailer and quickly discovered that the turn was not going to happen.  So Terry had to back out onto the road and back in from the road.

We had to make a trip to town for bug spray – there are tons of mosquitoes here!  We had lots of time so we wandered the entire ACE Hardware store which includes a large, separate section for housewares.  We had a sandwich when we got back, started a fire and Larry & Barb showed up about 1.

Now we got down to work.  Barb & I cleaned up & burned.  Terry got Larry’s new chain saw going and they took out all sorts of stuff in short time.  Larry hauled limbs & stumps to the fire and Barb & I continued to burn.

We had a drink before we all went to the Elk’s club for steak dinner where we also had a couple more drinks.  Luckily Barb was the DD as Larry had way too much fun.  L&B are staying at a motel so they dropped us off and headed to bed.

May 17^th – Sat

The guy who did the gravel work here showed up just before 8 to get paid.  L&B weren’t here yet but a quick phone call verified that they were on their way.

We started another fire and really got down to the business of burning brush.  L&B were here a week ago, cut a lot of stuff down and pushed the limbs against shrubs beside the driveway.  We got a system going where Barb dragged brush close to the fire, Larry & I cut it into pieces that would fit in the large fire ring and Terry put the armfuls of wood onto the fire.  Terry got that job because he was wearing a long sleeve T-shirt and could take the heat from the fire on his arms.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, we got hot dogs for lunch and cleverly waited until just before it started to rain to start cooking them over the fire!  We put out the awning so we could be dry to eat, moved inside for a while when a cold breeze came up – and then the rain stopped and the sun came back out.

We were amazed that we got everything done that L&B had planned and it was still only about 2:30.  Larry & Barb returned to the motel for a nap so we took the bike to the casino again.  Finally it was my turn to let us play slots for a couple of hours and not spend any money.

L&B got back shortly after we did and we all went to the Shilo Inn for their HH food & drinks.  We had a nice view from the second story window and enjoyed our dinner.

May 13th to 15th - to WA

May 13^th – Tues
We rode the bike south this time to Newport.  We went to the Yaquina Bay lighthouse and climbed the skinny staircases to the top.  It is well preserved & displayed with nicely kept grounds.  We continued on to the bayfront area where all the touristy shops are located.  Fishing & tourist boats also leave from this area.  We walked onto a pier to watch fish from a tour being cleaned and spotted the couple from the RV park that we met Sunday.

We walked the whole length of shops, etc and picked a restaurant for lunch.  Unfortunately, when we looked at the menu there was nothing that Terry wanted to eat so we left.  We ended up stopping at McDonalds for lunch!

We went to WalMart – frequent occurrence when you can’t carry much in the motorcycle or store too much in the trailer – and came home.  While I dealt with groceries and put ribs on to boil, Terry got a nice campfire going.  After a great dinner enjoyed outside by the fire, we took a drink and walked down to see the people who went fishing.  We chatted with them for a bit and called it a day.

May 14^th – Wed

We had another short drive today – just to the Portland area (Hillsboro) to see Terry’s sister Cindy & family.  On the way we had to stop at the Chinook Winds casino for a late breakfast after a small donation to the casino.  We ended up at the wrong Elks club – Beaverton rather than Hillsboro – but luckily it wasn’t far to the correct place where we have stayed previously.  The weather was very warm, maybe even hot to locals.

We rode the bike to Cindy’s and found Don – her dad – and Amy & Killian (daughter & grandson) waiting for us.  Tim (husband) was home for a while from working in Alaska and was resting after putting sod in the back yard today.

On her way home from work Cindy picked up Papa Murphy’s pizzas (our treat for an easy dinner) and we proceeded to catch up on news.  We finally left just after 10.  The bike wouldn’t start right away and luckily I remembered Killian pressing buttons, one of which was the kill switch.

May 15^th – Thurs

We are meeting Larry & Barb in Ocean Shores tomorrow and were going to stay somewhere in between for tonight but again it was a short drive so we decided to continue on.  We stopped at WalMart in Chehalis to buy gloves and hot dog fixings as Barb has brush to burn and hot dogs make sense.  We ran into Leonard & Mary Edlund who parked beside us in VVV a year ago and then bought a park model.  They live in Randle which is a small town about 45 miles away.  I am always amazed when we see people in places where none of us “belong”.

We stopped at the police station in Ocean Shores to fill out a permit to park on Larry & Barb’s lot.  We decided to go to the Elk’s lodge to see if we could fill our water tank (one of the projects for Larry is to fix some vandalism to their water supply) and ended up deciding to stay in the Elk’s RV lot for the night.

Of course we now had to take the bike for a visit to the local casino.  For a change we got to play a long time and Terry didn’t lose his allowance.  We went into the Elk’s lodge when we got back to see if we could still get dinner but it was 7:20 and dinner was done at 7.  We had a drink and talked with one of the members who was here when we first arrived.  I made a late dinner and we crashed.

May 9th to 12th - Oregon

May 9^th – Fri

Rain & wind – last night and today.  I am glad that we are not living in our rig with the motorcycle inside.  We finally got bored and ran all the electronic toys out of juice so we headed to Three Rivers casino just west of downtown Florence.  After a lot of slot play we had “lunch” at the buffet at 3:00.

Back at the rig it was more of the same as in the morning – games, TV, reading, a drink and no dinner needed.  I actually worked a bit on pictures so stay tuned for pics being posted to the blog!

May 10^th – Sat

The yukky weather went out with a huge downpour just before we felt it necessary to get out of bed.  I even sat down right away with a cup of coffee and put captions on pictures.

We decided to stay here another day and to do laundry so we got everything in the truck, stopped to pay more money and headed to the casino!  We had points on our cards that we didn’t think to use at the buffet yesterday so we figured we could have a breakfast buffet.  The guy working here at the park gave Terry a coupon for $10 free play so we played that first.  We took turns playing and it was amazing how long it lasted.  There was no breakfast buffet so we finally had breakfast at a café about 11.

We stopped at a new Laundromat but all the machines were huge – up to 40 lbs. for $4.50 – so we went to one closer to the RV park.  It even had a thrift store across the parking lot so we had something to do while the clothes were in the washers.  We stopped at Fred Meyers for groceries, came back and put everything away.

It was so nice that we went for a ride on the motorcycle.  We went to an area where there was a trail to a viewpoint but you couldn’t even see the ocean, just some dunes.  We stopped at the Darlingtonia Wayside where a plant called – of course – the Darlingtonia Californica grows. It has an odd bulbous part that traps insects and digests them.  We went to Weaver Lake which is down the road from the RV park.  We drove around a lot of the lake and finally turned around at a public boat launch when the road got ugly.  It was a pretty lake with a very irregular shoreline so we couldn’t see if the road went all the way around.

We bought some steaks today so Terry could cook them on the BBQ.  I cooked up a double batch of stew meat and put one portion in the fridge for tomorrow and one in the freezer for whenever.

May 11^th – Sun – to Newport

We took the time to change the tie-down system for the motorcycle when we loaded up this morning.  The new method should be easier especially when Terry has to maneuver in some pretty tight spaces.

We had beautiful sunny weather for our short drive to Beverly Beach State park which is just north of Newport.  We were given a choice of several spots that were empty or had people leaving today.  It was about noon and check-out time is 1:00.  Of course the site we wanted was still occupied but they were obviously getting ready to leave.  They finally pulled out and we parked immediately.  We could put the ramp down and take the bike out after we parked which is nice.

I made lunch and Terry did the chore important to him – tuned in the many stations on cable TV.  We took a bike ride to Newport and stopped at WalMart for groceries and a couple of other items.

A couple stopped by to look at the bike and we ended up chatting with them for quite a while.  They are from the Tri Cities in WA.  We went for a walk on the beach but the wind was pretty cold so it was time for cocktails beside a real campfire.  We don’t have very good wifi reception and the phone is iffy.

We had a note on our step when we got back from the beach saying we had to park all vehicles on the paved area so we had to move the trailer back, unhook the truck and move it right to the edge of the paved area and tuck the bike in close to the truck.  Terry LOVES this kind of thing!!

May 12^th – Mon

After coffee & cinnamon rolls, we rode the bike north to Depot Bay.  We browsed ALL the touristy shops along the main shopping area.  The couple we spoke with yesterday told us about a restaurant with good clam chowder so that is what we had for lunch.  It was good chowder.  On the way back we stopped at some pullouts & viewpoints and drove to the Devil’s Punchbowl.  Back at the park we toured it on the bike as there are several camping loops.

I put a pork roast in the crockpot so dinner wasn’t too tough except I tried to make carrot & apple salad without a grater – not too successful but edible.  I finally got to watch DWTS but only the second hour.

May 6th to 8th - Brookings to Florence OR

May 6^th – Tues

We had coffee and let the weather warm up a bit before riding the bike about 25 miles to Gold Beach.  We talked about going on a jet boat ride up the Rogue River and wanted to check it out.  We thought about going on Thursday but the weather forecast included rain starting Wed evening.  We ended up making a reservation and buying a couple of warmer jackets with hoods.  We stopped at an interesting looking shop that turned out to be not so interesting.  We pulled off to take a few pictures since the pullouts were now on the right side of the road but unfortunately the battery in the camera went dead.

We stopped at Fred Meyers to buy some long underwear for tomorrow’s boat ride.  I made dinner and did some prep for an easy dinner tomorrow.  We loaded the bike before going to bed as we have to get going early in the morning.

May 7^th - Wed – to Gold Beach

We left shortly after 7 and parked in the lot of Jerry’s Rogue Jets in plenty of time to have coffee and a muffin – and then get rid of some coffee!  (TMI??)  We joined 19 other people on the jet boat and left at 9.  The guide was kind of low key, informative and fun.  When we passed under the bridge over the Rogue River, a Jerry’s employee was waiting on top to take pictures of the boat & passengers which of course were available for purchase after the trip.

The weather was lovely with hardly a cloud in sight.  Our guide started out by coming to an abrupt stop so water splashed up over the bow to make sure we all knew we could get wet.  We did many spins which were fun.  We paused often to listen to history of the river & canyon.  We saw 2 bears, 2 deer, bald eagles, osprey and many geese & small birds.  We motored slowly past anchored boats where the occupants were fishing for salmon so our guide could see how many fish were being caught and relay the information to the next boats.  We did see some impressive salmon which were shown off with big smiles.

We made a pit stop at 10:30 Agness where we had to climb a steep path to use the facilities.  We put on life jackets for the next part of the trip which includes part of the wilderness area of the Rogue and includes rapids where the guide gets to “play”.  The scenery was fantastic.  At the 52 mile mark, we turned around as jet boats cannot go any further due to rocks.  We returned to Agness for lunch where most of us had the buffet.  We had plenty of time to eat and return to the boat by 2:20.

The ride back was much quicker as there were few pauses for info.  We did stick around to see a guy pull in a very nice salmon.  We would recommend this boat trip to anyone.

We drove 65 miles north to Coos Bay/North Bend and parked overnight in a casino parking lot.  We went to the casino where Terry again kept us from losing any money before we ate a light dinner at a snack bar and went home.

May 8^th – Thurs – to Florence

We went to the casino for coffee & doughnuts before hitting the road for a short drive today.  We stopped at the Elks Lodge in town where we have stayed previously, went in to register, had coffee and decided to continue 4 miles north to a “real” RV park also owned by the Elks Lodge.  It is about ¼ of a mile off the highway and is very pretty with lots of trees & shrubs.  We were the only rig here when we registered and paid the very reasonable rate of $20 per night.  We got all set up, had lunch and listened to huge gusts of wind.

The weather deteriorated and we hibernated – computer games, TV, reading, drinks and finally dinner. 

May 3rd to 5th - CA to Oregon

May 3^rd – Sat – Bodega Bay CA

Cool & breezy this morning.  We enjoyed coffee before taking the cover off the motorcycle and going sightseeing.  We saw lots of people digging clams and joined a group of whale watchers for a bit.  There had been 2 sightings this morning but it was too cold to wait for another.   I had to take the obligatory picture of waves crashing against the rocks – that scene never gets boring.  We visited a very nice visitor center and then came back to have a late breakfast at a little restaurant at the entrance to the RV park.  We checked out the menu (rather “exotic” offerings) and prices and decided that I could make breakfast in the rig.

Since it was still early afternoon, we headed to a casino at Rohnert Park.  The weather warmed up and the wind dropped as we went inland.  The ride was lovely and slightly smelly sometimes as there are lots of dairy farms in this area.  After using some free play and most of our own allowances, we had dinner at the casino.  Then it was time to relax – outside for a while before it cooled down – play computer games, watch TV & read.

May 4^th - Sun

We left about 9 and headed up Hwy 1 which is the road right along the coast.  As expected, it was very winding and hilly.  Also incredibly green and with lots of wild flowers which were further watered by the intermittent rain & mist that we experienced.

We thought about staying at Ft. Bragg but since we just drove the only road and we are not beachcombers, we decided to continue on.  We stopped for a late breakfast at a little café and had our last experience of CA coast sticker shock.  We made another stop for diesel and propane.

Since it was now late afternoon, we made a last minute decision to stay overnight at the Blue Lake Casino which is a few miles east on Hwy 299. 

We gambled a bit, had dinner and went back to the rig.  A guy from the service station asked if we had our camping permit which was not mentioned anywhere.  We had to go back to the hotel to get the permit and by now we had to dig out jackets as it was starting to rain again.

May 5^th – Mon – Brookings OR

We didn’t even have coffee before we left this morning and didn’t find anywhere that we wanted to stop.  We called Craig & Cathy Johnson to see if we could get together for breakfast in Crescent City.  Cathy recently had heart surgery for a quadruple bypass and we didn’t know if she was getting out yet.  Craig said she is doing better every day but it didn’t sound like she was up to visitors.  Craig was just heading to a gym with a friend so he couldn’t meet us either so we continued on to Brookings OR.

We registered for a site at the Elks club where we have stayed before and got set up.  A message indicated that the truck needed an oil change so that was our first errand.  While the truck was at “Oil Can Harry’s” we walked across the street to Fred Meyers and did a bit of shopping – keeping in mind that we had to carry everything back across the street.  We figured we would top up with diesel at Fred Meyers but there was a line of vehicles to pull into the pumps.  An attendant said to pull into the wrong side of an island and he would pull the hose across the truck.  You can imagine how that went over with Terry!  So we took a little drive to a more accessible – and friendly – service station.  Strangely enough, you can pump your own diesel in Oregon but not your own gas.

We took the motorcycle for a little spin around town and went through a fun little shop that I had spotted.  Then it was time to enjoy a drink outside in the sunshine before putting steaks on the BBQ for dinner.

Apr 29th to May 2nd - Three Rivers to Bodega Bay

Apr 29^th – Tues

After coffee and leftover doughnuts, we went a short way back into town to fuel up the motorcycle and left at 9 for the south entrance to Sequoia Park which is only a few miles from our RV park.  The road is very windy(many “slow to 10” corners) & picturesque as it climbs into the park.  There were a lot of flowering shrubs & trees at the lower levels.

We stopped to see the Sherman tree which is immense but which is by no means the only huge tree in the park.  I got pictures of a small herd of deer right on the side of the road.  As we left the south part of the park and climbed higher, there was a lot of snow on the side of the road but we weren’t cold with long pants & jackets.  When we reached the north entrance I convinced Terry to leave the park, drive back outside the park, have lunch and come back tomorrow to see King’s Canyon park.  The bad news is we followed the GPS to route 245 which is even windier than the park if that is possible.  We were very happy to hit straighter roads and finally stop for a late lunch.

We went to a couple of stores in Three Rivers before relaxing a while.  It was still fairly early in the afternoon so Terry got ambitious (maybe with a little prompt from me!?) and moved the TV cable/antenna connection box as it was behind our big TV and nearly impossible for Terry to push the button to switch between cable & antenna.

We were sitting outside after dinner and our neighbors (Don & Debbie from Seattle) stopped to chat.  They are not retired but can hardly wait to join us old people and travel all the time.  We gave them a brochure for the fall special at Val Vista and they hoped they could take advantage of it this fall.

Apr 30^th – Wed

We took a longer but straighter route back to the north entrance to King’s Canyon this morning.  We stopped on the way for a breakfast sandwich at McDonalds.  We first stopped at the Canyon Grove where the General Grant tree is located.  It is advertised as the biggest tree on earth measured by mass.  The bark on Sequoia trees thickens as long as the trees live so they gain mass every year even though they may not grow taller.

We then took a detour to Hume Lake to get gas in the bike.  The trip into the park was over 70 miles with lots of climbing & curves so Terry needed the comfort of a full tank of gas for the rest of the trip.  We started into King’s Canyon and realized that we had seen a lot of it from the road to Hume Lake.  You also have to come back out on the same road as you go in so we decided to turn around and go back through to Sequoia Park.

Yesterday the road to Moro Rock was closed due to snow but it was open today and I convinced Terry to drive up there.  Moro Rock is a huge rock that sticks up out of the trees and has a man-made path including 375 steps to the top.  Terry started up the path with me but turned back and said he would wait for me.  He has developed a height discomfort in the last few years and hiking of most any kind is not his cup of tea.  In addition to the 375 concrete steps, there are areas with step indentations in concrete and some areas on bare rock.  You feel quite secure with metal hand rails but it is still somewhat uneasy to look over the edge at nothing sometimes.  The views are amazing and someday I will post pictures!  I am quite pleased that I made the effort to climb all the way to the top.

When we got back we chatted with our next door neighbor – Sandy – and after dinner I went and helped her hook up a new printer.

May 1^st – Thurs

We headed north towards Yosemite Park this morning.  I wanted to drive the Tioga Road across the north of the park as it is supposed to be very scenic.  The last time we were there a forest fire prevented us from driving the road.

Well, to make a long story short, the GPS took us on very windy, hilly roads and Terry was not happy with them after driving the same type of roads the last 2 days on the motorcycle.  In my defense, the Atlas did not indicate such continuous bends.  It really was ugly.

We ended up at a Passport park that was scary.  The office wasn’t open and a sign said to pick a site and they would catch up to you.  They wouldn’t catch up to us as we went back the way we came and ended up in French Creek RV Resort & Golf Course.  We were going to stay a couple of nights but by the time they told us about the increased rates for the weekend we said one night would be fine.  We didn’t want to unload the motorcycle so we tested our plan for spending a night with the bike inside.  A little shifting of chairs allowed me to even cook dinner.  So our rainy day plan works!

May 2^nd – Fri

We did laundry before we left today.  I had to walk to the office (quite a ways!) for quarters and then we drove to the laundry room which was nice & clean and had only one other user who also left with fall special info for Val Vista.  We were on the road at 10:30.

We want to drive Hwy 1 up the California coast – either with the truck & trailer or the motorcycle – so we headed west.  We have been on Hwy 1 further south but not north from San Francisco.   Thank you Wanda (our GPS) for getting us here to Bodega Bay using all sorts of small roads that certainly don’t show on the Atlas.

We are settled into a clean RV park (CA prices!!) with not too many other rigs.  Did I mention that the temperature dropped and the clouds/fog showed up?

Apr 26th to 28th - Las Vegas to Three Rivers CA

Apr 26^th – Sat

It was windy last night and quite cool this morning.  When we finally got going and walked to Main St. Station casino, we were only half way there when I wished I had worn a jacket.

We played slots long enough for me to lose my allowance (!) and Terry to put our original stake back in his pocket and have enough to carry on.  We went to Freemont St and found a place for lunch before continuing to wander and for Terry to continue to play slots.  OK, he did give me more money which I lost!

We came back to the rig about 4:30 for drinks & dinner.  Terry went back to Main St Station for a while but I enjoyed my book and some TV for background noise.

Apr 27^th – Sun

After coffee, computer games & trip planning, we got on the bike and rode down the Strip.  It is warmer today but I put on a light jacket and was not too warm for a while.

We ended up at the Palace Station casino & hotel for lunch and a big of slots afterwards.  Then we went to the Stratosphere and wandered & gambled for a while.  We drove past the Pawn Stars pawn shop on the way back but didn’t stop.  It looked a little run down in the light of day and without a long line of people waiting to get in.

We dropped off the motorcycle and walked back to Main St Station where Terry had luck yesterday.  Not so much today!  Actually, we got to play a long time with small losses.  Then it was time for drinks, dinner & relaxing.

Apr 28^th – Mon

We left at 8 heading for Death Valley and California.  We stopped at WalMart in Pahrump for some groceries (& doughnuts for breakfast!) and crammed perishables into the fridge and put everything else onto the bed.

We have been halfway across Death Valley previously but decided after today that it should be Death Valleys – plural.  We went from 40 ft below sea level, to 5000 ft above, to 100 ft above and then to 4800 above – all within about 30 miles.  A big bomber flew low over us and in the mirror I saw the shadow cross the road right behind us.  We stopped at a view point and saw a jet fly by lower than the top of the canyon where we were standing.  Someone suggested that young pilots were having some fun and flying lower than allowed.

We stopped at a rest area and I made sandwiches for lunch.  We decided to head south after Death Valley in order to go to Sequoia Ntl Park.  We could have taken freeways to Bakersfield but took a road past Isabella Lake as it looked “interesting” on the map.  It ended up being picturesque but VERY winding & narrow and seemed to go on forever.  We don’t normally drive long days but we pushed on to Three Rivers which is just outside of Sequoia park.

The first site we were given was up a slope and small.  We unloaded the motorcycle, had someone move a truck and were preparing to back in when the owner came by in a golf cart and said he had a site that would be easier to get into.  As he was leading Terry to the spot, he spotted another site which was really easy to back into and by the time I got back down the road Terry was almost situated.

We got all set up and fixed the mandatory drink after a long day’s drive.  We walked to the river that goes past the park when we saw a vehicle go by with rafts but they float somewhere other than right here.  I fixed a nice dinner and we got to relax.

When I researched Sequoia park on the internet, the road between Sequoia & Kings Canyon was closed but a sign on the road today said it was open so we plan on a long ride tomorrow.

Apr 23rd to 25th - Palm Springs to Las Vegas

Apr 23^rd – Wed

Skip & Kathy asked us to play golf tomorrow so we went to the office to extend our stay a couple of days.  The lady in to office had changed our site before we arrived and had a heck of a time trying to add a couple of days and get the money on the correct site.  Gotta love computers!!

We took the motorcycle and went looking for a motorcycle shop to find the type of protective glasses that we want.  We stopped for gas on the way & Terry put his sunglasses in his pocket as he couldn’t read the pump display with them on.  When we got to the Harley dealer using instructions from a lady at the service station, Terry realized he didn’t have his sunglasses so now we were looking for 3 pairs of glasses!  The Harley shop had zero glasses with yellow lenses so we continued on to a restaurant in Desert Hot Springs for a late breakfast.

We stopped at the Aqua Caliente Casino and returned some of the money that we took from there on Monday.  We went to Skip & Kathy’s and had a drink with them and then followed them to Pat & Donna’s for dinner.  We also met Bob & Lana Worley from Bellingham.  They have a condo here and stay for about 6 months each year.

We had the grand tour of the huge house that Pat & Donna built recently before settling down on the expansive patio – guys in one area, ladies in another – to chat, drink & eat appies.  We had time for a game of bocce ball before dinner.  It was quite different for us as the base is crushed granite rather than the artificial turf that we have at Val Vista.

We took 2 vehicles from Skip & Kathy’s place as Skip was waiting for a phone call notifying him that the cabinets were here for their new house.  As it turned out, the cabinets were to arrive at midnight so we all left at the same time anyway.  It was a lovely evening.

Apr 24^th – Thurs

We went to the Classic Club golf course for 10:30 & 10:40 tee times this morning.  It is a very nice, newer course just north of the I10.  It also has a very nice price if you are not a resident of the area!  We were quite early so we had time to hit balls at the driving range, do some chipping at one of the 2 chipping greens and try the incredibly fast grass (mowed to 1/8 inch or less!) on the practice green.

The women played ahead of the guys.  There was a slow group ahead of us that was quite irritating but the marshal couldn’t get them to speed up.  The course is beautiful with lots of water & sand but not one palm tree – the only course in the area without any.  I was quite happy with my drives and intermittently happy with other shots.  It got very hot but the high green fees include coolers of icy bottled water and ice at every third hole.

Donna had to fly to Spokane this afternoon and had to skip the 18^th hole to make her flight.  She & Lana went back to the guys’ group, swapped golf clubs and Pat & Donna took off.  The rest of us went to the restaurant at the golf club to have a late lunch since part of your green fees are returned as a $15 voucher each for food or drink.

Then we all went to Skip & Kathy’s new house to look at the cabinets that did get unloaded at midnight.  Also, their front door & huge side panel had been installed.  They are etched & colored glass – very different & eye catching.  We hugged everyone goodbye, stopped for fuel & berry pies to cook later, and came back to crash.

Apr 25^th – Fri

We got up and going early this morning – we drove out at 7:10.  We decided to go to Parker AZ because we kind of forgot that my driver’s license expires in July and I want to get an AZ license so I can get a motorcycle endorsement later.

We stopped at the Bluewater Casino for breakfast and didn’t lose any money playing a short time at the casino.  We fueled up, found the licensing office, took a number and waited.  I got my driver’s license and then failed the motorcycle test for my learner’s permit.  I went through the manual at least a month ago and for someone who hasn’t driven a motorcycle for a long time (and not much then) the answers are not obvious.  I can take the test again on Monday.

We decided not to wait in Parker but to go to Laughlin instead and then to Bullhead City on Monday.  Wrong!!!  We started seeing lots of motorcycles on the road and at service stations and discovered that it was the HUGE River Run motorcycle event.  The sites at the Riverside RV park were $75 per night and it was questionable whether we would get any sleep when we saw the number of party-ers already in full swing.  So we decided I would get my motorcycle permit whenever we return to AZ and we headed for Las Vegas.

I called to get a reservation at Main St. Station, the first call got dropped and on the second call I was told that the park was full.  So I started going through our RV book.  We stopped for fuel just out of LV and Terry called again.  Surprise! – there were lots of sites available.

We registered, set up and RELAXED.  Drinks, dinner, games & TV.

Apr 20th to 22nd - Yuma to Palm Springs

Apr 20^th – Sun

We did a bit of shopping in the morning and went to Joe & Bea’s for lunch.  We took our atlas as they wanted to pick our brains on places to go & see.  We finally left at 5 when they had a couple of pages of notes.

Dinner and games took up the evening.

Apr 21^st – Mon

We left at 9:30 for a 3 hour drive to Palm Springs.  We are staying in an Encore/Passport park (PS Oasis RV Resort) on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City.  It is a small, clean park but the sites are small.  We can just open the door with the truck parked beside the trailer and we would have to move the truck to get the motorcycle out if there was anyone in the site behind us.

We were just finished setting up when Terry’s sister-in-law Kathy phoned.  They were returning from Spokane and we said we would pick them up at the airport.  Kathy had left a message 20 minutes earlier on my phone but in my usual fashion I left it on the counter when I was outside wiping bugs off the trailer.

We brought them back to the RV park to see our trailer and Terry gave each of them a short ride on the motorcycle.  They were surprised at the quiet, comfortable, smooth ride.  Then we dropped off their luggage at their house in Rancho Mirage and went a few blocks to check out the house they are having built.  We dropped them off and came back to shower & change clothes before going back on the bike to their house.  We went to the Agua Caliente Casino for dinner and to gamble.

Terry started off really well with a $500+ jackpot and I was actually up as well.  After dinner we played a bit more and didn’t lose much of our winnings – a good visit.  We were ready for bed when we got back.

Apr 22^nd – Tues

We did laundry in between computer games & making breakfast.  We dusted off the motorcycle and went to WalMart for a few items and then stopped at the Spa Casino which didn’t treat us as well as the one yesterday!

We had a bit of down time before getting back on the bike to go to dinner at Skip & Kathy’s.  We might have taken the truck since it was pretty windy but Skip wanted their friends Pat & Donna to see the bike and the wind definitely didn’t cool things down.

We know Pat & Donna and always have a fun time with them and S&K.  We had a great dinner and then we taught them to play Newfie Bingo.  Six players with one deck of cards can cause the game to go a long time before someone wins the pot.  I was the lucky winner and by then it had built up to over $18.  We switched to the dice game “10,000” which Kathy won.

The sand was really blowing when we drove back.  I don’t know how Terry kept his eyes open long enough to see where he was going.  We decided that close fitting glasses with clear or yellow lenses are on our list.

Apr 17th to 19th - to Yuma

Apr 17^th – Thurs

We loaded the motorcycle in the toy hauler and pulled out about 9 for our short 3 hour drive to Yuma.  We stopped in Gila Bend for fuel for us & the truck.  For some obscure reason, we followed the incorrect GPS instructions to Fortuna de Oro RV park instead of following our common sense.  This park was purchased a couple of years ago by CalAm and anyone staying at least 3 months in another CalAm park can stay here for up to a week for free.

We are parked in a large area with very few park models and no other RVs so we are all alone.  We set up & unloaded the bike, relaxed for a bit and then went for a ride around the park and checked out the golf course.  Dinner was prepared by learning how to use the convection oven – worked OK – and juggling items on my tiny counter space.  This will be an interesting trip!

At some point Terry looked out the kitchen window and saw a huge plume of very black smoke blowing our way from the freeway.  Through the smoke we could see fire trucks and police vehicles so we hopped on the bike to check it out.  There was a pickup truck on fire on the side of the freeway and the black smoke had to be from the tires burning.   There appeared to be only the truck in trouble and we didn’t find out what happened.

Apr 18^th – Fri

We had coffee & played computer games before heading for Algodones.  We stopped for a burger at McDonalds for an early lunch, parked in the very empty lot and discovered that most of the town, including the dentist who didn’t respond to my email, was closed for Good Friday.  The optical store was only open until 2 and not open on Saturday so nothing happened there either - $6 to park for 20 minutes!

We had to console ourselves by stopping at the casino but since I pretty much continued my losing streak it didn’t work very well!  We stopped at WalMart on the way back to buy new sheets since the ones on the bed came with an inexpensive comforter and we both hated them.  Also got avocados for 25 cents each and they turned out to be perfect as an appetizer/salad.  I thought I thawed chili for dinner but it turned out to be spaghetti sauce.  Luckily I did have some spaghetti and I will label containers in the future.

Apr 19^th – Sat

The usual morning with a little bit of housecleaning thrown in.  We took the motorcycle and finally decided on Denny’s for a late breakfast.  It was very busy but it didn’t take long to be seated.

One of the light switches in a three switch bank quit working yesterday so we found an RV place but the service dept/parts was not open.  They referred us to a place on the way back to the RV park where Terry got a switch and I had a good time wandering all the aisles and buying a couple of things – they have lots of “good stuff”!  We stopped at another RV supply place to look for a satellite TV dish and ended up getting 2 more switches that don’t light up.  The switches in the bedroom are so bright that I have taped a washcloth over them.

We have a couple of neighbors one street over but we just said hi as they walked past.

It was quite a job getting the switches replaced as the fuses ended up blowing up which confused the testing at the switch.  But we finally got them all done – goodbye washcloth.

I was just getting ready to make dinner when a car pulled up in our site.  It was Joe & Bea who we met in VVV.  We had a nice long visit with them – they are from New York, sold their house last year and are travelling for the summer – and then had a late dinner.

Apr 13th to 16th - Mesa

Apr 13^th – Sun

I moved staple items from the kitchen into smaller containers for our move and decided to make “Fudge in Between” bars when I had too much oatmeal for the new container!  I was putting a roast in the crock pot when Doug & Delores came over to invite us to dinner tonight.  I left the roast cooking with plans to use it in a couple of days.  Terry did a lot of organizing & cleaning outside. 

We went shopping for plastic containers and tee shirts as I figure that’s what we will wear a lot this summer.  At 4 we went with Doug & Delores for dinner at the Golden Corral buffet.  We were full and ready to relax when we got back.

Apr 14^th – Mon

We went to the office to change the date to today to move our toy hauler to a site beside us.  A ranger was available immediately to escort us to site 114 and we set up in short order.  First we had to go to the laundry room to get the wash started.  I made a late breakfast, went back to put clothes in the dryers and Terry showed up to fold & carry.  We spent the rest of the afternoon moving stuff into the toy hauler.

Just before 4 we changed clothes and went on the motorcycle to Ralph & Elsie’s.  They took their motorcycle and we joined Kay & Pat and Mel, Wanda & Clare at AJ’s Fairway Grill in Gold Canyon.  Kay & Pat were the only ones who knew exactly where it was so they ended up waiting for the rest of us to show up.  We didn’t know it but it was Ralph’s birthday.

When we got back, we stopped by our place for yet more booze (Fireball & Apple Pie!!) and went back to Ralph & Elsie’s where the weather was perfect for sitting outside with good friends.  There was an eclipse of the moon tonight but not until 11 so we headed home and I got up after midnight to check it out – pretty special but not “blood red” as I expected.  I got up a while later for another look and saw more of the moon emerging from the shadow but I couldn’t get decent pictures with our little camera.

Apr 15^th –Tues

Kay got wonderful pictures of the moon.  He is a great photographer and computer “geek” (that’s a compliment, Kay!) and put together still photos into a “time lapse” presentation.

We continued organizing stuff in both rigs.  I also shortened some tee shirts and put tabs on bath towels so they would stay on hooks on the side of the shower.  Terry went for more plastic bins and card stock for “business” cards.

We went to the courtyard to listen to Curtis.  There was a decent crowd but we certainly were looking for shade.  We invited Larry & Julie over for dinner as I had a beef roast that I had ready for the crock pot on Sunday before we went to dinner with Doug &Delores.  It didn’t take much time to cook potatoes and peas & carrots for a simple meal.  We also wanted to use up some Apple Blossoms from the freezer as everything didn’t fit in the toy hauler.  Mike & Susie also came over to visit.

Apr 16^th – Wed

We got up early (6:15) today so we could finish moving stuff and closing up the 5^th wheel before Ralph & Elsie came to help with the cover.  It wasn’t too hard to put on but that is because Terry is a workhorse.  We made it look like a Christmas package by tying 2 flat “ropes” long-ways around and then intersected the same type of ropes going around top-to-bottom.  We were all ready for a nice beer & clamato in the shade when we were done just before 11 which is when Mike & Susie showed to up to help per yesterday’s itinerary.

We went to the courtyard for lunch and then Don & Mary came over for a tour of our summer home.  We had a while to relax before going to listen to music in the courtyard (and to dance) at 3.  Julie invited us for dinner so we did a lot of hugging goodbye, picked up a drink and took the motorcycle to their place.

We had more drinks (of course) and a nice dinner but ran out of steam early and headed for bed in our toy hauler.

Apr 10th to 12th - Mesa

Apr 10^th – Thurs

We went to coffee & doughnuts this morning and were surprised at how many people attended.  We sat beside Natalie who I have seen many times but I didn’t know her name and we never spoke much.  No big news announcements. 

I had a nice chat with sister Marg.  We went to visit Phyllis Kasper and found that she is no longer sick but can’t seem to get her energy back.

We picked up my repaired golf club and stopped for more groceries.  I don’t want too much to move into the toy hauler so have to shop for just what I need more often.  I was doing dinner prep so Terry went to get water and stopped for a short visit with Ralph & Elsie.

We had Pender & Donna and Harvey & Vicky over for dinner.  Terry put up our end sun shade but it was too hot to sit outside before dinner.  After dinner we moved outside so Terry could show Harvey & Vicky the buddy burner.

Apr 11^th – Fri

We took a break from computer games to walk to Pender & Donna’s to load line dance videos on their computer but Pender was playing bocce and Donna was just going shopping.

I “studied” for a motorcycle license test and we went to the MVD after I checked online and found the wait time to be 32 minutes.  Turns out the wait time is once you get a number.  The line to get a number wrapped around inside the large room so we decided to get my license in a smaller AZ town once we hit the road.

We went to listen to music (in the ballroom again due to heat) and were happy to see Phyllis show up for a short time.  We went to Pender & Donna’s where Donna served coffee & dessert while the dance videos were loading on their computer.  Later we had leftovers for dinner and had a lazy evening.

Apr 12^th – Sat

Terry thought we still had coupons for breakfast at Ft. McDowell casino and figured we should go before we realized that we didn’t have coupons.  So of course we went!  I am getting very tired of quickly losing my allowance and watching Terry take longer to finally lose his!

We stopped to pick up a burger for Terry and I made a grilled cheese sandwich & fruit for my lunch.  This provided needed energy for more computer games!

We went to the toy hauler to do a few small chores – move clothes rods, trim memory foam on the bed to allow the spread to be tucked in by the wardrobes, put up a spice rack & took some measurements.  Then we went to Big Lots to look for containers.

We had just made a drink when Mike & Susie dropped in for a visit.  Apparently they have come by previously and found us not home (!) so I am glad that we were home and we could have a nice chat.  Terry grilled fillet mignon to perfection for dinner.

Apr 5th to 9th - Mesa

Apr 5^th – Sat

Val & I worked on a jigsaw puzzle this morning – a fun change.  Terry started organizing and cleaning “stuff” in the rig.

A Hamburger Fry started at 11 but we know how early people line up so we agreed to meet Dennis & Gloria at 11:30.  There was a short line while we waited for hamburgers to cook.  Claude & Val also joined us to eat in the courtyard.  A lot of people ate in the ballroom where Randy Johnson provided music.

After lunch, Val & I returned to the puzzle and Terry continued his clean up job.  When I returned, I dealt with a pot of wax that Terry had melted and I finished melting all the remaining candles to use in buddy burners.

We had a shared dinner with Claude & Val – I had leftovers from our Wednesday dinner and Val purchased chicken & potato salad which we didn’t use after the pool party.  We barely had time to clean up the dishes when it was time to go to a dance.  We didn’t have tickets and thought we should be there a bit early.  Not to worry, there weren’t many people at the dance and we had a whole table until we invited David & Dagmar(Docma) to join us.  The band was Rare Collection and they did a good job of getting the sparse crowd on the dance floor.

Apr 6^th – Sun

We had a lazy morning with people dropping over to chat and to interrupt our computer games!!  At 3 we went with Claude & Val to Beth’s brother Rick’s place for a little party.  He made chicken burritos with green chile salsa – very good.  We picked up a couple of items at home and went immediately to Dennis & Gloria’s for dinner (we ate lightly at Rick’s!) along with C&V, Larry & Suz and Jerry & Becky.

Gloria made a great dinner while trying to use food up and not add anything she couldn’t use as they leave in a couple of days.  We played Newfie Bingo which requires no skill and quite a few nickels and dimes if you are not lucky.  Val was the lucky one this time.

Apr 7^th – Mon

We said goodbye to Claude & Val when they pulled out about 9.  Our neighbors across the street had some scrap lumber they were trying to dispose of so Terry got a stack of 2x3’s to make stabilizer stands for the toy hauler.  He borrowed a saw from Ernie and cut all the pieces.  We went to Home Depot for nails but they were too big & split the very dry wood so end of that project for today.  We did the laundry somewhere in between building shopping and having breakfast.

The weather is really warming up so in the afternoon we went swimming and listened to part of the music in the courtyard from beside the pool.  At 5 we picked up Ernie & Dianne and Pender & Donna to go to the AZ Opry for Mark Lucas & The Bad Bunch.  It was a great show as usual.

Apr 8^th – Tues

We exchanged the nails at Home Depot and also got a plastic box to organize “nuts & bolts” so I had a job while Terry built the blocks.  We bought a cutting board to place on one end of the sink I the toy hauler but it was a bit too long.  We took it to the workshop and a guy who was working on a project sanded it down for us.  We tried it out and found it was still too long.  Luckily, the guy told us to come back if it didn’t fit so we did and got it right the second time.

On the way back, we stopped at a site in Fiesta where we had seen a guy puttering around on his Can Am Spyder.  It turns out that Bill & Linda are from Farmington which is about 60 miles from Spokane.  The motorcycle is Linda’s and they have a toy hauler.  This is their first trip with the 5^th wheel & bike as they have been looking after both of their mothers.  We chatted with them for quite a while and then a bit later they stopped by our place to check out our site.

We went to the courtyard to listen to Jeff Stephens who is a member of the band that we saw at the AZ Opry last night.  He has played here previously and is very good.  Quite a few people were in the courtyard and we were all squeezed in the shady spots!  We braved the sun to dance a bit.

Larry & Barb had us over for HH right after the courtyard.  Ernie & Dianne were also there and we sat in the shade behind L&B’s 5^th wheel.  Dennis & Gloria dropped in after they went out for dinner, Doug & Deloris came by and then Gord & Joyce heard the noise and joined us for a while.  It’s a good thing not everyone was there before the sun went down as the shady spot wasn’t that big.

Apr 9^th – Wed

Larry & Barb left after 9 – and after their water pump wouldn’t work and the front jacks wouldn’t come up until Larry plugged back into power.  They sent a text a while later saying Larry had unhooked the batteries while they were parked here.  Computer games, email, blog & breakfast filled the rest of the morning.

The head on one of my golf clubs was a little loose so we took it to the PGA Golf store to be repaired.   We stopped at WalMart on the way back for a few groceries.

Terry went to check out music in the courtyard.  It was moved inside because it was TOO HOT!  There weren’t many people in the ballroom so he didn’t stay long.

At 4:30 we went to Jerry & Becky’s for happy hour(s).  There ended up being quite a large group – just when we think that everyone we know has left.